Breech mechanism for firearms.



J. P. HAYES. v BREEUH MEGHANISM FOR FIRBARMS.-

APPLIGATKIN FILED MAR. 7; 1910,.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

1H: NoRms Fsrsns ca.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

JAMES 1P. HAYES, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

IBREECI-I MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed March 7, 1910. Serial No. 547,804.

In the accompanying drawing :-Figure` 1 is a longitudinal section ofpart of a fire arm showing my invention, certain parts being shown inside elevation. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same on an enlarged scale,with the top lever removed. Fig. 3 is a sectional rpivoted. in the usualmanner.

view on the line ac m of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the liney y of Fig. 3'. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the rear end of thebarrels shown in Figjl. Fig. 6 is a side and end view of my preferredform of bolt on an enlarged scale. Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 are similar viewsof modifications of my bolt. Fig. 9 is an end and side view Qf mypreferred form of bolt plate. Fig. 10 and Fig.

11 are similar views of modifications of my bolt plate.

A is the frame of my improved fire arm and comprises on the lower side aforwardly projecting arm to which the barrels B are The barrels B areprovided with a downwardly projecting lug 15 provided with a mortise 16adapted to receive and engage with the bolt C so as to hold the barrelsB closed in position for use. A toplever* D, pivotally mounted in theframe A, is provided with means for operating the said bolt C, to bedescribed. The said bolt C comprises an elongated block approximatelysquare in cross section having a rounded rear end 17, and is cut away atthe front end on the lower side so as to form an inclined engagingsurface 13 extending along the middle from the front end 19 backwardlyand downwardly to the bottom surface 20, leaving on each side adjacentsaid inclined engaging surface 18 cooperating horizontal engagingsurfaces 21, which latter are eX- tensions of the general lower surface20. The said bolt C is further provided on its upper side with a recess22 fitting and adapted to receive a tooth 23 projecting downwardly fromthe arm 24 extending radially outwardly from the lower end of the lowerbody 25 of the said top lever D and adapted to be reciprocated thereby.The general body of the said bolt C is a fit for a corresponding chamber26 provided therefor in the said frame A, and in which it is adapted tobe reciprocated in the manne described by the said top lever D.

On the lower side the bolt C is provided with a notch 27 which isadapted to engage with the trip E which is forced into engagementtherewith by means of a spring F when the said bolt is retracted to itsrearmost position and to be held in such retracted position untilreleased from such engagement by the tripping of the said trip E by thelug l5 engaging with the oii'set lug 28 on the same in an ordinarymanner. A bolt block Gr is mounted on the said lug 15 in an ordinarymanner as by means of a downwardly projecting web 29 tting in acorresponding groove in the said lug 15 and a pin H and has on its upperside an inclined engaging surface 30 along the central line andgenerally a counterpart of the said inclined surface 18 on the said boltC and oneach side a flat engaging surface 31 similarly generallycorresponding to the said horizontal engaging surfaces 21 on the bolt C,though preferably formed in a plane appreciably below the normalposition of the same so as to. provide clearance between the opposedhorizontal surfaces on the bolt and bolt plate.

The said top lever D comprises abackwardly directed arm 32 having .atthe rear end a handle or thumb piece and provided at its forward endwith a downwardly projecting body 33, generally cylindrical, having atthe upper end an enlarged head 34 and at the lower end the said lowerbody 25, also cylindrical and of reduced diameter and provided asdescribed with the said arm 24 and tooth 23, the said head and bodiesgenerally fitting a corresponding socket 39 provided in the frame A.Adjacent the said head 34 the said body 33 is provided with a slot 35adapted to receive a screw so as to be held in place thereby and havefree limited pivotal movement. The said body 33 is provided with a slotadapted to receive the free arm 36 of a V shaped spring I. The Xed arm37 of the said spring is fixed in the said frame A inan ordinary manner,s o as to permit the free insertion and removal of the said top lever inthe frame A. The said spring I operates normally to force the bolt Cforward so as to engage the said engaging surfaces 18 and 21 of the samewith the surfaces 30 and 31 of the bolt block. The front wall 38 of theradial slot 40 to be described is generally flattened to'fit thecorresponding wall of the arm 24 and its tooth 23 so as to limit therebythe forward-movement of the bolt C when the barrels are removed. Thesaid socket 39 in the frame A is provided with said radial enlargement40 to admit the said arm 24 and tooth 23 in inserting and removing thesaid top lever D from the frame A, the said enlargement or recess 40being on the front side generally and away from the rear side or activebearing side 41 in use. An operating space for the said tooth 23 isprovided in a convenient manner by cutting a channel 42 through from theback wall 43 of the frame to the said socket 39 vand slot 40.

The bolt C1 shown-in Fig. 7 has the inclined surface 1Sa extendingacross the end of the bolt and the horizontal engaging surface 21aimmediately in the rear of the same. The bolt C2 shown in Fig'. 8 hasthe surfaces 18b and 21b interchange from the relation shown in Fig. 7.Fig. 10 shows a bolt block G1 corresponding to the bolt shown in Fig. 7and Fig. 11 shows the bolt block G2 corresponding to the bolt shown inFig. S.

The said bolt C as described has full body dimensions across the cornersfrom end to Yend, except for the single interruption at the said recess,which is at about the middle of the length, so that the same haspractically the maximum bearing surface possible to withstand wear andto insure proper guiding of the same in its reciprocal travel in thechamber provided for the same in the frame.

The positive and forceful engagement of the inclined engaging surfacesdescribed insures a firm and rigid holding of the gun barrels in theclosed position under normal conditions. The opposed horizontal engagingsurfaces prevent positively the premature opening of the barrels by thedischarge, while the clearance between the said horizontal surfacesobviates the liability of any difficulty in freely opening and closingthe gun on account of accumulation of dirt and foreign mat'ter on thebarrels or the surfaces of the frame A which engage with the same.

I claim as my invention 1. In a'firearm mechanism having a frame and abarrel hinged thereto, cooperating means for locking said frame andbarrel comprising a lug on said barrel and a bolt reciprocatinglymounted in said frame and having two sets of engaging surfaces, and heldin engaging position, one of said sets of surfaces inclined and adaptedto lock said frame and barrel rigidly under normal conditions, and theother set of surfaces parallel to the line of reciprocation of said boltand adapted to positively lock the said frame and barrel under abnormalconditions and when the firearm is discharged.

2. In a firearm mechanism having a frame and a barrel hinged thereto,the said barrel provided with a lug having engaging surfaces and thesaid frame provided with a bolt having engaging surfaces adapted toengage with said surfaces on said lug, and means for projecting saidbolt forward 1 nto engaging position and means for retracting the samefrom such position, the said surfaces comprising in combination inclinedsurfaces and surfaces parallel with the line of movement of said bolt.

3. In a firearm mechanism having a frame, a barrel hinged thereto, abolt and means for reciprocating said bolt in said frame the said barreland bolt having a multiple of engaging surfaces, and means for retainingthe same in engaging position, the said surfaces comprising inclinedsurfaces adapted to prevent rattling and any tendency to looseness inthe connection between the said barrel and frame, and cooperatingsurfaces parallel with the line of reciprocation of said bolt adapted topositively prevent the opening of said barrel and frame.

4. In a firearm mechanism having a frame, a barrel hinged thereto, meansfor opening and closing said barrel and frame, a bolt adapted to bereciprocated so as to lock and unlock said barrel and frame, andcoperating engaging surfaces on said bolt and frame adapted to engagewith one another in effecting such locking, and comprising inclinedsurfaces in coperation with surfaces parallel with the line of motion ofsaid bolt, spring pressure means for holding said inclined surfaces inengagement and said parallel surfaces in position ready for engagementand separated by an appreciable space.

5. In a firearm mechanism havinga frame and a barrel hinged thereto,means for opening and closing said barrel and frame, a bolt having aback and forth motion and adapted to lock said barrel and frame closed,engaging surfaces on said barrel and bolt adapted to coperate in saidlocking, the said Vsurfaces comprising inclined surfaces centrallylocated vand lateral surfaces parallel with the line of motion of saidbolt.

6. In a firearm mechanism, a frame having a chamber, a barrel hinged tosaid frame, a bolt comprising an elongated structure rectangular incross-section fitting said chamber, a recess in one side of said boltadapted to receive means for reciprocation, and the said bolt providedwith means of engagement with the said barrel at one end comprising aninclined surface and the said bolt having full body dimensions acrossthe corners at points remote from the said recess.

7. In a firearm mechanism, a frame, a bolt, a top lever and a spring,the said top lever `comprising a head at the upper end and an operatinghandle extending laterally from the said head, a cylindrical upper bodybelow said head and provided with means for engagement with the saidspring, a cylindrical lower body below said upper body, of reduceddiameter relatively to the said upper body, and having laterallydirected means for engaging with the said bolt, the said framecomprising a closed rear end and forwardly of the said end provided witha socket fitting generally and on all sides the said head, upper bodyand lower body, and a longitudinal slot provided in the said socketpermitting free and unobstructed passage of the said bolt engaging meansduring the insertion and removal of the said top lever relatively to thesaid frame, and the said slot located remote from the rear wall of thesaid frame, so as to leave an uninterrupted full length bearing in saidrear wall for the said top lever.

8. In a firearm mechanism, a frame, a bolt, and a top lever, the saidtop lever comprising a head at the upper end and an operating handleextending laterally therefrom a cylindrical body below said head andprovided with a laterally directed arm serving as means for engagementwith the said bolt, the said frame comprising a socket fitting generally'the said top lever body, and provided with a lateral extension formingan operating chamber permitting operation therein of the said arm and alongitudinal slot in the side wall of the said socket for admitting thesaid arm the said slot terminating in said operating chamber and havinga common front wall therewith, and the said front wall serving as a stoplimiting the motion of the said arm and the bolt engaged therewith whenthe said bolt is free to move in a forward direction.

9. A mechanism of the character described comprising a longitudinallymovable bolt having a surface parallel with its line of movement and asurface inclined to the line of movement and a barrel lug havingsurfaces coacting with the surfaces on theA said bolt. A

10. A mechanism of the character described comprising a longitudinallymovable bolt having a surface parallel with its line of movement and asurface inclined to the line of movement and a barrel lug having in thenormal engaged position an inclined and a parallel surface coacting withthe said surfaces on the bolt.

JAlMES P. HAYES.

Witnesses:

LEWIS E. Woon, ELBERT M. WEBB.

